Russians in Washington: "Vova! Stop Blaming Hilary, Act Like a Man!"

also New York City, St. Petersburg, Geneva.

On December 10, the world was shaken by a wave of international protest against the results of the Russian parliamentary elections. The main slogan of the 70-person-strong protest held by the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C. was:“We are for fair elections!”

The two-hour protest in Washington, D.C. was initiated via the social networking site Facebook. More than 100 people confirmed their attendance during the mere three days of the online group’s existence. While the protest did not have a leader, this did not stop the group from acting like a cohesive unit.

Despite the presence of police officers there to ensure the security of the Russian Embassy, the protest was marked by a friendly atmosphere: participants talked to the police, who, in turn, willingly answered all questions and helped to coordinate the location of the rally. Many participants came with their families and children. One protester brought a guitar and sang Russian songs, including Change by Viktor Tsoi.

During the protest, participants got acquainted with one other and shared their reasons for coming to the rally. For example, Natalia, a Russian citizen who works as a model in the United States, said that it was her first time at a protest of any kind, and that her attendance had nothing to do with politics. There was no way she would miss this one because by attending the rally, she was expressing her disagreement with the results of the election. Moreover, Natalia said she personally heard of an instance of election fraud: her friend, who lives in Russia, was denied the right to vote because someone else voted using her name. A passport confirming her identity did not help convince the electoral commission that her voice had been stolen.

Another participant, Irina, a Russian citizen who currently lives in the United States, came to the rally to show her solidarity with protesters in Russia: "I am happy that Russians finally stood up to protect their rights and express their dissatisfaction with the government. I think we are witnessing a historic moment,” Irina said.

Some foreigners came to the rally to demonstrate their support. Susan, an American citizen, said she had closely followed the election results in Russia. By coming to the rally, she was speaking out for fair elections and for the protection of human rights in Russia.

Besides the white ribbons and white flowers, symbolizing the peaceful nature of the protest, most participants also brought posters and signs, some of which were drawn on the spot. The most popular slogan was "For Fair Elections in Russia," which, according to participants, demonstrated that they held an independent viewpoint and were not affiliated with any groups, governments or opposition parties.

One of the participants held a poster responding to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s statement that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had allegedly provoked the Russian protests: "Vova! Stop blaming Hillary, act like a man!" Some other posters that stood out included: "We are not voiceless," "We demand re-elections,""4% + 9% ≠ 49%” “Put-in, Put-out,” “Put-in someone new" and "No to revolution, yes to honest elections."

The protest ended at 4 pm, as scheduled. While leaving participants left white flowers and white ribbons alongside the Embassy’s fence. The police noted nothing but peaceful conduct, and the Embassy did not comment on the protest.